Method and apparatus for carrying out chemical reactions by means of magnetically-spread-out electric arcs.



A. V. LIPINSKI.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARRYING OUT CHEMICAL REACTIONS BY MEANS OF MAGNETICALLY SPREAD OUT ELECTRIC ARCs.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 6, ISIS.

1,281,60%. Patented Oct. 15 1918,

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An'ronv. LIPINSKI, 0F ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.

Marion AND'APP'ARATUS' Tron CARRYING OUTI'CHEM'ICAL REACTIONS By ama pa MAGNETICALLY -SPREAD-OUT ELECTRIC Ancs.'

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON VICTOR LIPIN- sin, a citizen of the Republic of Switaerland, residing at Carmenstrasse 51, Zurich, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Carrying Out Chemical Reactionsof March 15, 1917) I have described a' method for carrying out chemical reactions by means of magnetically spread .out electric arcs, according to which flowing masses of gas are caused to act upon both sides of the electric flames, whereby at least one of said gas currents operates as a gas wall sup,- port for the flames against which support the flames are flattened by the other current of gas.

In carrying out said method, it has been found, that the quantity of energy required for maintaining the. flame between the electrodes over their whole active-length is not always available or that it is subjected to variations. When the energy decreases for instancein such a manner, that it sinks below the value required for the maintenance of the whole flame structure, the arc stops always at the same point of the electrodes, so that the latter are burnt out and the furnace is then no longer in working order. Thus. it would be necessary to stop the working of the furnace as soon as the whole energy required for the feeding of the furnace is no longer supplied to the electric distributing network, which would be the case, for instance, when the plant is momentarily subjected to a maximum load or the like.

When the electrodes are arranged in such a manner that the points of said electrodes at which the arc is produced, are at an equal distance it has now been found, by experiments, that the variations of the energy can be entirely neglected by imparting to at least one of the two gas currents operating as a gass wall, supp bo a F Q IHEI HW Specification of Lettersla tent. Patented i Application filed March 6, 1918. Serial Ila 220,830.- q, F

the direction of the shortest path: between" neighboring electrodes and also a revolving movement about the axis of thewprod uce'd flame sheet. r V l This invention will now be more particm 1 larly described with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating by way of ex amples two embodiments of apparatuses for carrying out the improved method. a i

In this drawing: i Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section through the first embodiment;

CI'OSS- Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section on the I line 22 of Fig. 1. t

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail perspective. vlew. I;

Fig. 3 is avertical longitudinal cross-sectionthrough the second embodiment and Fig. 4 is a plan view of a detail of this embodiment.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen, that during normal working a horizontal flame disk is struck between the two parallel ring electrodes 1 and 2, arranged within areaction chamber of the furnace, said flame being produced owing to a magnetic action upon the electric arcs. The inner ends of the. two inlet pipes 6and 7 one of which is concentrically disposed within the other, confine near the inner electrode 2 an annular gap 4 through which issues one of the gas currents, while an inlet pipe 5 supplies the second current of gas to the opposite side of the inner electrode 2. The'two gas currents act on bothsides over the entire surface of the flame disk or sheet; constituting the flame, whereby one of said currents operates as a gas wall support for the flame, againstwhich support said flame other current of gas. p Between the walls of the inner pipe 6 and outer pipe 7 are disposed a plurality of blades 8 (see also Fig. 2.). The reaction is-flattened by the gases flow throughthe inner pipe (land then through passages provided on both sides of the electrode 2 between the latter-and the annular gaps, 4 and 10 v respectively. The blades 8 impart to the cooling gases issuingthrough the annular gap 4-althongh said i gases are already blown at a high velocity along the plane of .theelectrodes-not only a movement in the direction. of the shortest path between the .twojelectrodes 1and 2,-'

2'. e., in a radial direction, but also a revolvmgv movement about-tthc 'i ertioal ax-is of'tlie= .it has been found, that in such a case the disk-shaped flame stops always at the same pointof the electrodes. Thus, the latter is liable to be overheated, so that they may be worn out too soon, or they may even fuse causing an interruption in the working of the furnace.

In consequence of the fact, that a tangential component of motion is imparted to the current of gas issuing through the annular gap 4, the flame disk does not stop at the same spot or point between the two elcc trodes, but circulates or rotates. Thus,'the electrodes are preserved and a burning out of them and an interruption of the work ing. of the furnace is even prevented in thosecases where the whole energy is not supplied for a longer period of time. Moreover, said revolving movement of the gas currentfhas the effect to still more flatten and spread out the flame disk, so that the quantitylof gas available for the reaction is increased. I

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 3'and 4 comprising three electrodes 13, 14, 14

the reaction gases flow through the apertures 12 out of the heart-shaped chamber 11 and come within reach of the electric flame mantles which are struck between the rod shaped electrode 13 and the ring electrode 11 and the latter and the ring electrodel l. The chilling gases issue through an annular nozzle 15 surrounding the rodshaped electrode 13; The magnetic field which" exerts a spreading-out action upon the electric arcs is indicated by the arrows 16. In the annular channel 17 leading to the annular noz-f zle l5 are arranged aplurality'of curved," hellcal-shaped blades 18 (see alsoFigft),

wvhich prevent the gases issuing through the annular nozzle--15 from flowing along the shortest path over the conical electric'flame mantle. to the rin this embodiment, t -he blades 18 impart to said gases an additional revolving movement about the vertical axis of the electric flame mantle, said axispassing through the centers ofthef'electrodes. 14, 14 and coincid ing wit lthe'loiigitudinal axis of the rodshaped selectrode113. Thus, the gases will follow approximately along; a path which is 1 Copies of this patent hayfbe obtained for five cents electrode 14. Also in shown in Fig. by the point and dash line 19; Further, the gases exert also in this embodiment a spreading-out action upon the electricfiame mantle and in the case the whole quantity of energy is not available,- only a part of the electric flame mantle Wlll be produced, this part of the flan-re mantle is caused to circulate, wlnchresults in the same advantages as in the first described embodiment.

It will be seen, that'the furnaces described are wholly independent of the variations. of

load'occurring in the electrical supply net work and that any interruption in the work ing of the furnaces, due for instanceto a burning out of the electrodes, is eliminated.

The mainidea of the present invention" can be applied toall kinds of furnaces illustrated in my earlier application referred to.

What I claim nowas my invention is:

1. The method, which comprises produc ing a dispersed are between electrodes, the

M points of two cooperating electrodes at which the arc is producedbeing arranged at an equal distance from each other, thereby maintalning a flame sheet between the electrodes, supplying a gas current to each side points of two cooperating electrodes at1. 100

of the spread flame over its entire surface and imparting to one of sa1d gas currents,..

operating as a gas wall support, both a movement in the dlrection of the shortest path between two neighboring electrodes and a revolving movement about the axis of the produced flame sheet.

95" 2. An electric furnace, comprisingafurnace having a reaction chamber therein, electrodes so arranged 111 said chamber that the i which the arc is produced are at. an equal "distance from each other, means to spread the arc to for-in a sheet bounded by said elec trodes, means to supply gases into said chamber and blades arranged in said gas supplying means adapted to impart a resaid means.

A nace having areac-tion chamber therein, elecvolving ninovement to the gas issuing from trodes so arranged in said chamber thatthe Anelectr c furnace, comprising a furpoints of two-cooperating electrodes at which 'the'arc is produced are at an equal distance from each other, means to spread the are to form a sheet bounded 'by said electrodes,

means to supply gases into said chamber and curved blades arranged near the outlet of said gas supplying means and adapted to impart a revolving movement to the issuing fnom. said means. I

In testimony that I claim the my invention, I'have-signed my name.

.A. v. LIPINSKI. i

' I each, by addressing the ffqomm issioner of p t t washingtomn. 0. v

foregoing as; 2 

